Amateur golf statistics by handicap and score

Real, anonymised data from rounds tracked on StrokesGain. Filter by estimated handicap or typical score (the "80 golfer", "90 golfer") and compare putting make rates by distance, how close approach shots finish, fairways hit, scoring on par 3s, 4s and 5s and strokes gained by area. Every number is aggregated across at least 5 players and 30 shots, and you can download the data as CSV.

Updated 2026-10-10. Free to use — please credit "Source: StrokesGain.com" and link to https://strokesgain.com/golf-stats-data.

Key findings

  • The dataset covers 82 amateur golfers and 234 completed rounds tracked shot by shot on StrokesGain.
  • An 80 golfer hits 49.1% of fairways on par 4s and 5s.
  • A 90 golfer hits 37.9% of fairways on par 4s and 5s.
  • From 5–6 feet, an 80 golfer holes 64.3% of putts (PGA Tour: about 77% from 5 ft).
  • From 5–6 feet, a 90 golfer holes 56.7% of putts (PGA Tour: about 77% from 5 ft).
  • Scratch golfers lose on average 2.6 strokes per round to a PGA Tour baseline.
  • 0–9 handicaps lose on average 10.8 strokes per round to a PGA Tour baseline.
  • 10–19 handicaps lose on average 21.4 strokes per round to a PGA Tour baseline.

Questions this data answers

  • How often does an average golfer hole a 6-foot putt, and how does that compare to a scratch golfer?
  • What separates an 80 golfer from a 90 golfer the most: driving, approach, short game or putting?
  • How much further does an 80 golfer drive it than a 90 golfer, and do longer drives mean more fairways or more penalties?
  • How often do 80, 90 and 100 golfers hole putts from 3-6 feet (1-2 metres), and how steep is the drop-off with distance?
  • How many 3-putts does each golfer type take per round, and from how far out do 3-putts start?
  • How much better is a 90 golfer on the greens than a 100 golfer, in strokes gained per round?
  • How many strokes does a 90 golfer lose to a scratch golfer, and where: driving, approach or putting?
  • How close does a typical amateur finish from 100 metres, and how many greens do they hit?
  • How often do weekend golfers find the fairway, and how far do they actually drive it?
  • How often does the average golfer find water, out of bounds or trouble off the tee, and how many penalty strokes does that cost per round?
  • Are par 5s where better golfers gain most of their strokes, or is it par 3s?
  • What does an 80 golfer really score on par 3s, 4s and 5s, and how many birdies do they make per round?

Method

Groups are estimated from each player's average strokes gained per round (not official handicaps) or from typical score per 18 holes. Each number combines at least 5 players and 30 shots or holes, otherwise "n/a". Only anonymous totals; no names, courses or dates. Rounds need at least 9 completed holes and are normalised to 18 holes. Strokes gained is measured against the PGA Tour baseline (Mark Broadie).

Download: CSV · JSON · Markdown

By estimated handicap

Overview (per 18 holes)

MetricAll golfersScratch or betterHCP 0–9HCP 10–19HCP 20+
Players822337166
Rounds234761153013
Average score79.271.579.289.999.6
Strokes gained total vs PGA Tour-10.70-2.60-10.80-21.40-31.80
SG off the tee-2.41-0.51-2.63-4.92-7.52
SG approach-4.37-0.76-4.82-9.08-13.95
SG around the green-1.38-0.43-1.11-3.36-6.17
SG putting-2.32-1.02-2.40-4.45-5.51

Off the tee (par 4 and 5)

MetricAll golfersScratch or betterHCP 0–9HCP 10–19HCP 20+
Fairway hit50.1%56.8%49.5%37.9%40.3%
Rough35.7%32.7%36.3%42.9%32.8%
Bunker / trouble7.6%6.1%8.3%9%8.2%
Penalty (OB, water, lost)5.4%2.7%5%9.6%17.9%
Penalty strokes from the tee per round0.730.370.681.332.42
Average drive distance (m, approx.)238255235210198
SG per drive-0.17-0.04-0.19-0.35-0.53

Approach shots by start distance (metres) — strokes gained per shot

MetricAll golfersScratch or betterHCP 0–9HCP 10–19HCP 20+
From 50–80 m-0.14-0.01-0.17-0.28n/a
From 80–100 m-0.17-0.04-0.19-0.31n/a
From 100–120 m-0.19-0.01-0.21-0.34-0.53
From 120–140 m-0.23-0.08-0.24-0.34-0.57
From 140–160 m-0.23-0.04-0.22-0.60-0.57
From 160–180 m-0.26-0.06-0.27-0.52n/a
From 180–200 m-0.26-0.11-0.28-0.42n/a
From 200+ m-0.18-0.01-0.20-0.30-0.47

Approach shots — average distance left to the pin (m)

MetricAll golfersScratch or betterHCP 0–9HCP 10–19HCP 20+
From 50–80 m961013n/a
From 80–100 m1281217n/a
From 100–120 m1410141626
From 120–140 m1712171936
From 140–160 m2014203133
From 160–180 m25142833n/a
From 180–200 m37203952n/a
From 200+ m885294122133

Approach shots — green hit %

MetricAll golfersScratch or betterHCP 0–9HCP 10–19HCP 20+
From 50–80 m71.4%81.3%70.8%57.6%n/a
From 80–100 m63.3%78.2%62.9%38.6%n/a
From 100–120 m57.1%73.4%56.7%39.6%28.1%
From 120–140 m49.2%63.2%48.5%37.2%13.9%
From 140–160 m40.4%56.3%40%10.1%18.4%
From 160–180 m35.4%54.2%32.1%12.5%n/a
From 180–200 m20.7%30.5%20%6.7%n/a
From 200+ m10.2%17.1%9.3%3.8%2%

Putting make rate by distance (feet)

MetricAll golfersScratch or betterHCP 0–9HCP 10–19HCP 20+
0–1 ft99.9%100%99.9%100%n/a
1–2 ft99.4%99.5%100%98.2%96.9%
2–3 ft95.4%100%91.8%n/an/a
3–4 ft91.1%93.7%89.7%88.1%97.7%
4–5 ft67.6%75.4%66.2%n/an/a
5–6 ft65.5%70.7%65.9%n/an/a
6–7 ft43.6%48.4%48%29.6%n/a
7–8 ftn/an/an/an/an/a
8–9 ft33.2%33.8%33.6%n/an/a
9–10 ft24.6%33.7%21.6%20.4%n/a
10–12 ft20%n/an/an/an/a
12–14 ft17.6%21.8%18.1%2.4%n/a
14–16 ft12.8%19.4%10.1%4.7%n/a
16–18 ft9.8%6.3%14.9%n/an/a
18–20 ft8.3%14.2%5.2%5.8%n/a
20–25 ft7.1%8.6%6.5%n/an/a
25–30 ft6.3%11.1%4.6%3%n/a
30–35 ft5.9%n/a4.2%n/an/a
35–40 ft2.3%0%1.5%n/an/a
40–50 ft1.8%5.4%0%n/an/a
50–60 ft0%n/a0%n/an/a
60+ ft4.1%10%3.3%n/an/a

3-putt % by first-putt distance (feet)

MetricAll golfersScratch or betterHCP 0–9HCP 10–19HCP 20+
3–4 ft0.4%0%0.8%0%0%
4–5 ft0%0%0%n/an/a
5–6 ft0%0%0%n/an/a
6–7 ft0.8%0%0.9%3%n/a
7–8 ftn/an/an/an/an/a
8–9 ft0%0%0%n/an/a
9–10 ft0.3%0%0.7%0%n/a
10–12 ft2.1%n/an/an/an/a
12–14 ft4%0%2.9%12.5%n/a
14–16 ft2.2%0%4.3%2.5%n/a
16–18 ft4.6%0%4.5%n/an/a
18–20 ft7.2%3.4%8.3%5.9%n/a
20–25 ft7.7%2.2%5.8%n/an/a
25–30 ft13.2%7.1%12.2%30.3%n/a
30–35 ft19.7%n/a14.3%n/an/a
35–40 ft23.3%20%22.7%n/an/a
40–50 ft26.8%21.4%20%n/an/a
50–60 ft40.9%n/a36.7%n/an/a
60+ ft47.3%30%46.2%n/an/a

Strokes gained putting per round by distance (feet)

MetricAll golfersScratch or betterHCP 0–9HCP 10–19HCP 20+
0–3 ft+0.05+0.10+0.03+0.00+0.02
3–6 ft-0.18+0.06-0.26-0.57-0.11
6–15 ft-1.32-0.90-1.22-2.38-2.71
15–50 ft-0.79-0.30-0.85-1.26-2.64
50+ ft-0.07+0.02-0.10n/an/a

Putting summary

MetricAll golfersScratch or betterHCP 0–9HCP 10–19HCP 20+
Putts per round32.73132.83536.7
1-putt holes27.1%31.7%26.4%20.6%18.7%
3-putt holes8.2%4%8.2%14.6%21.6%

Scoring by par (average strokes)

MetricAll golfersScratch or betterHCP 0–9HCP 10–19HCP 20+
Par 33.483.173.474.14.19
Par 44.54.074.525.125.87
Par 55.164.685.235.746.55

Scoring by par (birdie or better %)

MetricAll golfersScratch or betterHCP 0–9HCP 10–19HCP 20+
Par 36.8%10.5%6.5%0%0%
Par 48.4%16.8%4.9%2%1.1%
Par 523.4%41%16.4%9.8%0%

Scoring by par (double bogey or worse %)

MetricAll golfersScratch or betterHCP 0–9HCP 10–19HCP 20+
Par 39.1%1.6%7.2%28.6%34.9%
Par 411.4%2.6%9.1%28.5%54.7%
Par 58.1%1.9%7.3%16.3%45.5%

By typical score

Overview (per 18 holes)

MetricAll golfers70s golfer80 golfer90 golfer100 golfer105+ golfer
Players822237166n/a
Rounds234721182914n/a
Average score79.271.179.189.398.5n/a
Strokes gained total vs PGA Tour-10.70-2.50-10.50-20.80-30.50n/a
SG off the tee-2.41-0.39-2.63-4.72-7.44n/a
SG approach-4.37-0.74-4.69-8.84-12.96n/a
SG around the green-1.38-0.45-1.07-2.90-6.57n/a
SG putting-2.32-1.02-2.33-4.56-4.29n/a

Off the tee (par 4 and 5)

MetricAll golfers70s golfer80 golfer90 golfer100 golfer105+ golfer
Fairway hit50.1%57.6%49.1%37.9%42.8%n/a
Rough35.7%32.4%36.5%41.9%34.9%n/a
Bunker / trouble7.6%6%8.3%9.8%6.6%n/a
Penalty (OB, water, lost)5.4%2.2%5.1%9.8%15.1%n/a
Penalty strokes from the tee per round0.730.30.711.352.1n/a
Average drive distance (m, approx.)238255236211194n/a
SG per drive-0.17-0.03-0.19-0.34-0.51n/a

Approach shots by start distance (metres) — strokes gained per shot

MetricAll golfers70s golfer80 golfer90 golfer100 golfer105+ golfer
From 50–80 m-0.14-0.02-0.15-0.30-0.28n/a
From 80–100 m-0.17-0.04-0.18-0.28n/an/a
From 100–120 m-0.19-0.02-0.20-0.34-0.45n/a
From 120–140 m-0.23-0.09-0.23-0.33-0.56n/a
From 140–160 m-0.23-0.03-0.22-0.60-0.54n/a
From 160–180 m-0.26-0.05-0.26-0.52-0.57n/a
From 180–200 m-0.26-0.11-0.28-0.41n/an/a
From 200+ m-0.18+0.01-0.21-0.29-0.44n/a

Approach shots — average distance left to the pin (m)

MetricAll golfers70s golfer80 golfer90 golfer100 golfer105+ golfer
From 50–80 m9691314n/a
From 80–100 m1281215n/an/a
From 100–120 m1410141623n/a
From 120–140 m1712171834n/a
From 140–160 m2014203132n/a
From 160–180 m2515263541n/a
From 180–200 m37194053n/an/a
From 200+ m885092124128n/a

Approach shots — green hit %

MetricAll golfers70s golfer80 golfer90 golfer100 golfer105+ golfer
From 50–80 m71.4%80.3%72.9%53.2%64.5%n/a
From 80–100 m63.3%77.4%64.2%40%n/an/a
From 100–120 m57.1%72.7%57.2%40.4%33.3%n/a
From 120–140 m49.2%61.7%48.9%39.8%15.4%n/a
From 140–160 m40.4%56.7%40.2%9.5%17.9%n/a
From 160–180 m35.4%53.3%33.5%15.5%18.8%n/a
From 180–200 m20.7%30.5%19.5%10%n/an/a
From 200+ m10.2%17.6%9%6.2%1.6%n/a

Putting make rate by distance (feet)

MetricAll golfers70s golfer80 golfer90 golfer100 golfer105+ golfer
0–1 ft99.9%100%99.9%100%n/an/a
1–2 ft99.4%99.5%100%98.1%n/an/a
2–3 ft95.4%n/a92.7%n/an/an/a
3–4 ft91.1%94.2%89.9%85.8%98.1%n/a
4–5 ft67.6%74.5%67.9%n/an/an/a
5–6 ft65.5%71.4%64.3%56.7%n/an/a
6–7 ft43.6%47.1%48.4%26.9%n/an/a
7–8 ftn/an/an/an/an/an/a
8–9 ft33.2%31.8%35.2%n/an/an/a
9–10 ft24.6%33.7%21.9%15.2%n/an/a
10–12 ft20%n/a21.2%n/an/an/a
12–14 ft17.6%21.3%18.6%2.4%n/an/a
14–16 ft12.8%17%12.2%7.7%n/an/a
16–18 ft9.8%9.3%13.1%n/an/an/a
18–20 ft8.3%14.5%5.5%6.4%n/an/a
20–25 ft7.1%9.4%6.2%3.1%n/an/a
25–30 ft6.3%10.5%5.2%n/an/an/a
30–35 ft5.9%n/a4.2%n/an/an/a
35–40 ft2.3%0%1.4%n/an/an/a
40–50 ft1.8%3.7%1.1%n/an/an/a
50–60 ft0%n/a0%n/an/an/a
60+ ft4.1%10%2.2%n/an/an/a

3-putt % by first-putt distance (feet)

MetricAll golfers70s golfer80 golfer90 golfer100 golfer105+ golfer
3–4 ft0.4%0%0.8%0%0%n/a
4–5 ft0%0%0%n/an/an/a
5–6 ft0%0%0%0%n/an/a
6–7 ft0.8%0%0.9%3.2%n/an/a
7–8 ftn/an/an/an/an/an/a
8–9 ft0%0%0%n/an/an/a
9–10 ft0.3%0%0.7%0%n/an/a
10–12 ft2.1%n/a0%n/an/an/a
12–14 ft4%0%2.8%12.5%n/an/a
14–16 ft2.2%0%3.3%5.3%n/an/a
16–18 ft4.6%0%4.2%n/an/an/a
18–20 ft7.2%2.9%8.5%6.5%n/an/a
20–25 ft7.7%1.2%4.8%35.7%n/an/a
25–30 ft13.2%7.4%11.3%n/an/an/a
30–35 ft19.7%n/a14.1%n/an/an/a
35–40 ft23.3%18.4%23.5%n/an/an/a
40–50 ft26.8%22.2%19.5%n/an/an/a
50–60 ft40.9%n/a37.9%n/an/an/a
60+ ft47.3%33.3%44.9%n/an/an/a

Strokes gained putting per round by distance (feet)

MetricAll golfers70s golfer80 golfer90 golfer100 golfer105+ golfer
0–3 ft+0.05+0.10+0.03+0.01+0.01n/a
3–6 ft-0.18+0.07-0.23-0.76+0.05n/a
6–15 ft-1.32-0.93-1.19-2.49-1.87n/a
15–50 ft-0.79-0.27-0.83-1.18-2.31n/a
50+ ft-0.07+0.01-0.10n/an/an/a

Putting summary

MetricAll golfers70s golfer80 golfer90 golfer100 golfer105+ golfer
Putts per round32.73132.83535.7n/a
1-putt holes27.1%32.1%26.3%21%20.1%n/a
3-putt holes8.2%4%7.9%15%17.5%n/a

Scoring by par (average strokes)

MetricAll golfers70s golfer80 golfer90 golfer100 golfer105+ golfer
Par 33.483.153.474.114.11n/a
Par 44.54.074.55.075.74n/a
Par 55.164.645.235.666.45n/a

Scoring by par (birdie or better %)

MetricAll golfers70s golfer80 golfer90 golfer100 golfer105+ golfer
Par 36.8%11.3%6.1%0%0%n/a
Par 48.4%16.5%5.6%2.1%0.9%n/a
Par 523.4%42.4%16.8%11.2%0%n/a

Scoring by par (double bogey or worse %)

MetricAll golfers70s golfer80 golfer90 golfer100 golfer105+ golfer
Par 39.1%1%7.4%29.7%28.9%n/a
Par 411.4%2.4%9%27.3%47.2%n/a
Par 58.1%1.2%7.5%13.5%42.1%n/a